US President Donald Trump ordered a formal probe into EU trade practices after EU action against Google. The step lifted fears of a tariff fight between Washington and Brussels. Trump warned European exports could face higher import duties. That would happen if the probe finds unfair treatment of US companies.
The trigger was an EU antitrust penalty on Google of Euro 890 million, near USD 1 billion. The European Commission said Google broke EU digital competition rules. Trump criticised the fine and said US technology firms face repeated punishment. Trump claimed European regulators use such penalties to raise revenue.
Trump announced the probe on Truth Social and told US agencies to act at once. Trump said the EU targets Google, Apple, Meta and Amazon with large fines. "The United States of America is not a PIGGYBANK for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!" Trump wrote. Trump also warned "a very big price".
Trump described EU actions as "illegal and highly unethical conduct". Trump said tariffs could follow if the investigation finds US firms were singled out. No tariffs were imposed at this stage. The probe remained early, and next steps depended on findings and any EU reply.
EU regulators said Google used power in Google Play and its search engine. The Commission alleged Google favoured its own apps and digital services. EU officials said the conduct weakened rivals and reduced consumer choice. The case fitted the EU drive to tighten oversight of large technology groups.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authority | European Commission |
| Company | |
| Fine | Euro 890 million (around USD 1 billion) |
| Issue cited | Alleged breach of EU digital competition rules |
EU trade practices framed as a US-EU trade issue
Although the case sits under competition law, Trump framed it as trade discrimination. Trump argued repeated fines hurt US commercial interests in Europe. By launching the probe, the administration signalled possible trade tools. These included tariffs if European policies were judged harmful to US business.
The warning raised the risk of renewed US-EU trade tensions between major trading partners. Tariffs, if applied, could affect exporters, multinationals and supply chains. Markets could face added uncertainty during broader geopolitical strain. Investors watched the EU response and the US probe timeline.
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For now, the dispute centred on the Google fine and the US investigation order. The EU said its aim was fair competition in digital markets. Trump said the focus was unfair trade practices and warned of tariffs. Businesses and investors tracked whether the probe led to a wider trade confrontation.
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